Indonesia To Set Up Honorary Consulate In West Bank; Palestinian Minister Claims ‘Hundreds Of Our People Are Killed’

TEL AVIV – At a meeting in Jakarta on Monday, the Palestinian and Indonesian foreign ministers agreed to open Indonesia’s honorary consulate in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

At the meeting, Palestinian FM Riad al-Malki thanked his Indonesian counterpart, Retno Marsudi, for Indonesia’s support for the Palestinians.

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“The situation in Palestine is very hard. In Jerusalem, Palestinian citizens become victims especially children. Hundreds of people are killed,” said al-Maliki in a press conference.

The idea that hundreds are being killed is a gross exaggeration. Even according to Palestinian estimates, the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces during the latest wave of violence targeting Israelis hovers just above 100, with well over three-quarters of those killed being the assailants themselves.

Al-Maliki visited Indonesia to attend an international conference on the Question of Jerusalem hosted by the United Nations in Jakarta. The conference’s aims was to solve the issue of sovereignty over Jerusalem. Despite being labelled “international,” no representatives from Israel were present to discuss the status of Jerusalem since Israeli passport holders are forbidden from entering Indonesia.

“I am very satisfied with the establishment of Indonesia’s honorary consulate in Ramallah in the beginning of next year,” Al-Maliki said.

“We want to build our country for the future. That is why we cooperate with Indonesia,” he added. Indonesia and the Palestinian authority already cooperate on various technology and capacity building programs.